Lest we forget

This Remembrance Day marks a very special year as we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. On Nov. 11, people across our province, and across the country, will pay tribute to veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members and all the brave women and men who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of our country.

A century ago, it would have been difficult to find a family in Newfoundland who had not been touched by the Great War. One of my great-great-uncles, Lt. Richard Shortall, fought in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment bravely at Gallipoli, and later died in battle at Beaumont Hamel. Another uncle, John James Harris, helped set up the Patriotic Fund at the beginning of the War to support the dependents of the men who fought.

We are called to remember all that our brave servicemen and women have done in times of war and military conflict, as well as times of peace. And since I’ve become minister of Veterans Affairs, this time of the year has taken on a new importance for me. We have a duty as a country, and as a government, to be there for the people who have put everything on the line to defend and protect us.

When our Liberal government was elected, we promised to respect and support Veterans in a way Canadians expect. We work hard to ensure that no Veteran goes without the support and compensation they deserve.

Our government is increasing benefits for Veterans and we’ve introduced new supports and programs. We increased the disability award for injured Veterans to $360,000 and paid the 67,000 injured Veterans who hadn’t seen an increase in nearly a decade the money they’d missed out on.

We’ve also expanded services across the country by re-opening Veterans Affairs service offices that had been closed by the previous government in the late 2000s. And we opened a new office in BC, while expanding services for veterans in Northern Canada.

We’re supporting and recognizing the tireless work done by Veterans’ caregivers by providing them $1,000 per month, tax-free. We’re providing access to financial workshops, mental health first aid, and other vital services for veterans and their families.

We’ve also introduced an education and training benefit for veterans of up to $80,000 and career transition services for veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members and their partners, to help them transition to a new career following military service.

And in April 2019, as promised, we will re-instate a pension for life for ill and injured veterans. This will provide up to $2,650 a month, tax-free, for life, along with 90 per cent of their pre-release military salary, if they’re unable to work.

We know we have much more work to do. But as a government, we will live up to our obligations to Canadian veterans and their families. To our men and women in uniform, I say this: We stand with you. We will always be there for you.

So I ask all Canadians: Let us be grateful to Canada’s veterans and all those who’ve given their lives for the rest of us. Please think of the current members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Think of men and women from every region of the country, every walk of life, every ethnic and cultural and religious background. Think of all of those who have put service to country, before self.

Today we honour those who serve and have served Canada. We thank them, and we honour them.

Lest we forget.

Seamus O’regan Minister of Veterans Affairs